Washington - The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved the nomination of attorney Shelly Dick for a seat on the federal District Court in Baton Rouge. The approval came by voice vote.

Attorney Shelly Dick wins approval of Senate Judiciary Committee.

Her nomination now goes to the full Senate, where she is expected to win confirmation. No date has been set yet for a Senate vote.

Dick, who would be the first woman to serve on the federal Baton Rouge Middle District Court, was recommended for the post by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

Landrieu is looking for quick Senate action on her nomination.

"I strongly urge my colleagues to quickly confirm
Shelly Dick for the people of the Middle District of Louisiana," Landrieu said.
"Shelly brings decades of litigation experience, an impressive record of
service work, a thorough understanding of federal law and a wonderful attitude.
She is highly respected within the judicial community, and I have the upmost
confidence that she will serve Louisiana
well as a fair and knowledgeable judge."

Dick was nominated last April by President Barack Obama, but her nomination was stalled by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., who argued that because it was made fairly far into an election year no votes should occur until after the November presidential vote.

Once Democrat Obama won re-election, Vitter quickly gave his go ahead for the Judiciary Committee to proceed with the Dick nomination and in December he testified on her behalf at a committee hearing.

Still, the hearing came too late for the panel to take a vote on her nomination in 2012, and the president re-nominated her in January, when the new Congress convened.

Dick is a founding partner at the Baton Rouge law firm of Forrester and Dick, LLC. She is considered an expert on federal employment law.